Collateral Damage
by Epicurean
Summary: Bodies are constantly piling around Klaus. Caroline is getting sick of always suffering through the fallout of his actions.


**This was originally a scene for my True Blood / Vampire Diaries crossover, _The Progenitor_, which I cut. I felt bad just leaving it sitting around on my computer, never to see the light of day, so I decided to release it as a sort of drabble. I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

Caroline was in tears, falling back to the wall for support, knees weak. Klaus felt a lump in his throat. He didn't know what to do. He said he fancied Caroline, and it was true. He fancied her more than anyone before. He had never wanted to hurt her, but it seemed to become a habit of his. "Caroline…"

"This is your fault!" she cried, head fallen over in defeat. "He died for you!"

Klaus took a step back in offense. He hadn't killed the wolf boy. Sure, one could say in a roundabout way that certain actions taken by himself had triggered a sequence of events, of which the end result was the boy's death—but Klaus hadn't schemed for it. It hadn't been part of his grand plan to create more hybrids.

"How many more people are going to die for you?" Caroline shot, eyes red from her tears. Veins began to appear beneath her eyes, showing just how much anger she was harboring for him in that moment.

"Caroline, I never meant for Tyler to…"

"Of course you didn't! But he did! He died, consequence of you, yet you still got what you wanted. Everything always works out so _perfect_ for you while everyone else suffers the aftermath! What was it that you called it again? Collateral damage? Why is it I always seem to receive the fallout of your actions?"

Klaus was silent. For once in his life he didn't know what to say. It wasn't like she was saying anything false. Everything she accused him of was true. People died almost every day for his own benefit. He never paid much heed to it, he didn't care. Why should he? But he messed up. This time it was someone who meant someone. Someone whose life wasn't completely meaningless. It was a life he would have to answer for.

Caroline took in his silence and scoffed, wiping her tears away. But just when she thought they had stopped it started again, this time harder. And she felt herself release some sort of agonizing noise as she slipped further down the wall. The last thing she wanted was to be wailing like this in front of _him_. But she couldn't stop.

As Klaus took a step towards her Caroline screamed, "Go away! Just leave me alone!"

"I can't." He strode forward and grabbed her shoulders, pulling her to him.

"Stop it!" she shouted, trying her best to shove him away. "Let me go!"

She pushed and prodded and hit with all her might, but it meant nothing against his Original strength. He kept holding her until her strength finally caved. As the adrenaline flushed form her systems she felt herself weakening, and she collapsed in his arms.

Klaus held her close, her blonde hair brushing in his face; it's sweet scent almost pure agony. He took his thumb and brushed it delicately over her eyes, wiping away her tears, and then rested it on her rosy lips. Her eyes fluttered tiredly and the reassuring motion, and Klaus did what was probably overstepping his boundaries—he kissed her. It was a gentle thing, soft and as brief. He kissed her and then burrowed his head into her crook of her neck, one hand twisted in her locks and another supporting her back.

Caroline wasn't sure what was happening. Everything seemed surreal and hazy, like she was in a dream. But she could smell Klaus's sharp colon and that ever-present stench of blood that had soaked its way in his skin and hair and she knew that this was reality. And then she felt herself rise off the ground as Klaus picked her up gently and carried her back to her room.

He entered her quarters and headed straight for her bed, placing her down gently. Her arms were still wrapped around his neck, so he regrettably pulled them off and placed them by her sides. His hand drifted back up to her face and trailed through her hair. Her gaze was stern but fragile, and he was reminded of the time she had been bitten by Tyler and lay dying in her bed.

Throughout the centuries Klaus had discovered there were two ways people died: those in a pathetic heap of a mess, and those in a graceful beauty. Miss Forbes was the latter. That day Caroline's life was draining from her she never looked more radiant. He almost didn't want to fix her, it was so stunning to behold. But even as she lay weak and defenseless her eyes were strong, as they were now. He held some strands of her hair between his fingers, curling them around in a playful manner. Caroline didn't seem to mind, it was as though she had retired for the day and just wanted to sleep. So Klaus would let her.

But before he left, he bent over her bed and whispered one last time, "I _am_ sorry, Caroline. Not because he died, but because his death pains you."

She scowled. "Like that's supposed to make me feel better?" Her voice was gravelly from screaming earlier.

"I could only hope," Klaus shrugged, and stood to leave. Something pulled him back, and he turned around to see Caroline had grabbed the end of his shirt.

"Could you stay here for a moment?" she whispered. "I don't want to be alone." Her voice caught. It was harder to say than she thought.

To say Klaus was surprised would be an understatement. Just a few moments ago she was shouting for him to get lost, and now she so gently asked him to stay. She was almost as bipolar as himself, he noted whimsically.

He nodded and pulled a chair up to the side of her bed and fell into it. He placed a hand softly over her eyes and spoke, "Until you fall asleep." Her eyelids fluttered closed.

Klaus knew what he should be feeling right now, but all he could feel was triumphant. He was, slowly but surely, finding his way into her heart. It may have been a loss for Caroline in more ways than one, but today was a victory for Klaus. It was only a matter of time before he had her, finally.

He smiled to himself as Caroline's breathing slowed down and she fell into a slumber.


End file.
